Improved portable and convertible coffer-dam



and behind us in wealth and constructive skill.

SAMUEL LEWlS, Oli WILLIAMSBRG, NEW YORK.

Lette/rs Patent No. 92,324, dated July 6, 1869.

IMPROVE!) :PORTABLEv .AND CONVERTIBLE COFFEE-DAM.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame. i

Tc all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL LEWIS, ofWilliamsburg, in the county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented a new and improved Portable and Gon- -vertible Coifer-Dam; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to makeand use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings,forming part ot' this specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved method of constructingcoder-dams for building piers and other submarine structures, and iumaking the same convertible into other forms, for raising sunkenvessels; and

1t consists in forming the coffer-dam. in two or more sections, thesides of which are partitioned oiiinto water and air-tightcompartments,each section having a removable side, and all the sides being providedwith suitable JLubes and other appliances for filling the compartmentswith either air or water at all times, whereby the sections may besubmerged or floated, as may be desired.

It also consists in so constructing the coder-dam, that it may be made(with two of its sections) to enclose a sunken vessel, thereby affordingmeans for raising the same, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The perishable and temporary character oi' the piers and docks along thewater-'onts'oi our seaboard cities has long been the basis ofdisparaging comparison between ourI own ports and those of countries farbelow One cause of our backwardness in this respect has been the absenceot' any means of constructing more permanent works, unless at an expenseentirely incommensurate with any anticipated advantages.

In. order to replace our present style of piers and docks by enduringand substantial structures o stone, a distinct coii'endam would beneeded for each pier, the cost oi' constructing which, would, in manycases, exceed that of the pier itself, while the dam, excepting someportions of its material, perhaps, would be utterly useless in theerection of another pier.

In order to reduce this large'element of cost within such limits as nolonger to deter practical minds from the contemplation ot' a change inour system of building piers and other structures requiring subaqueousfoundations, the undersigned has devised the apparatus herein described,which is intended to obviate all the expenses lof dam-construction afterthe iirst outlay, however many piers soever it may be desired to build,thus reducing the cost of all such work by about onehali', and giving toNew York and other of our ports a magnificent line oi' imperishablepiers and wharves, at about the saine cost as that of our presentmiserable 'and decaying structures.

In this department of its uses, the apparatus herewith submitted isdesigned mainly as a portable means ot' erecting fortications, piers,and the foundations of bridges, whether abutting on the shore or inmidstream, and generally as an inexpensive and ready way ot1 exposingthe bed of a current or other water for any purpose whatever.

The other branch of service to which this apparatus is applicable, isthe raising of sunken ships or other vessels from a depth of iifty to ahundred feet.

The special provisions for this work, and the manner ot' performing it,will be explained in their proper places. I t will suiiice to say here,that for such purposes the buoyant power of the sections is depended on,with certain exceptions, such as where a vessel lies in comparativelyshallow water, and has been filled 'with sand or other drift, in whichcase it would be advisable to use the apparatus as a coii'er-dam, inorder to get at the vessel and empty her hull either of said drift orcargo.

Figure 1 is a view of the dam in its working-position, with the outerskin of the lower section removed,

,to sho'w the vertical, horizontal, and diagonal bracing and timbering,to give strength and stability to the whole; the water-tightcompartments into which each ofthe three sides of each section isdivided; the manner ot' admitting and forcing out the water; theflappacking for the bottom of the darn; the round packing between thetwo sections; the supports by which the upper section rests on thelower; the weights for spreading the lower packing, and the ropes bywhich these are operated, Cto. 1

Figure 2 is au inside vertical view of the door, or removable side, asseen from the red line y gf,- iig. 3, the inner face of the lower doorbeing shown removed, in order to exhibit the compartments, and themanner of filling them with water or air, as may be desired; theattachments for drawing said doors into their places, with the manner offastening the supports, 85e.

Figure 3 is a plan or top view, showing, besides a number of partsalready enumerated, the upper face of the sectious;vthe manner offitting and fastening the door; the upper guides for the supports; thetubes for exhausting or filling the spaces between the outer and innerplates of the sections; the timber trimming by which the flap-packing isheld in place, 85e.

The dam is constructed, as shown, of plate-iron, of suitable thickness,set apart in two vertical planes, 1 and 2, at suoli a distance as togive the desired-buoyancy, say from three to ten feet, and of suchheight and length as may be required for the particular work to be done.

Each section will be about fty by forty feet square, larger or smaller,according to the contemplated uses of the dam. The manner of bracingthese large plates is shown in the lower section of the drawing, (marked:c a: in two lines thereof.)

The main plates are then sealed water-tight, by the horizontal plate 3connecting their top and side edges, and by strong'timbers, 32, allaround the bottom.

Ilhe two sections are alike `in general construction, only differing inthe perforations in the upper section, for the passage of the staples18, which clasp the supports 1T.

The upper section, as shown, is suiciently reduced in horizontal area toslide easily within the lower one.

The supports '17 are stout timbers, resting on the lower section, onwhich the upper section is suspended by the staples 1S and ythe plates19, which latter are riv eted through the outer face of the section, andset into the recesses in the supports marked a a, a, according to theheight at which it is desired that the inner section shall stand.

The staples 18 pass through tubes, which are expanded at their ends, andfit on the inner and outer plates in the same manner as a boiler-tube.The ends of said staples are secured by nuts 20, under each of which anappropriate packing is inserted.

Each side-of each section is divided into several airvtightcompartments, as seen in the lower part of fic. 1, and 5 5 being stouttimbers, vertically on a line with the supports 1T, as shown, andforming the partition between said compartments.

15 15 are the flanged edges of plates, similar to 51 and 51, iig. 2,which lie up to each upright timber fi-om the inner to the outer sheets1 and 2, riveting through the saine. The object of these compartments isto render the sections self-buoying, whatever accident may happen to anyone of saidY compartments.

Around the upper part ofthe inside of each section runs a tube, 1-1,lig. 1, the outer ends of which may be seen at 14* and 24.

These tubes are provided with cocks, 12, one for cach compartment. Thesecocks or valves are opened or closed by the rods 13 13, which areproposed to be operated from above by socket-wrenches, or in any othersuitable way.

10 10 are the waste-openings, through which the water passes, as air isinjected into the several spaces.

These openings are furnished with valves, l) 11, as

- shown, whieh'valves are operated by the rods 11 1l 11, in the mannerjust described.

Attached to the bottom of the lower section is the iiappacking 7designed to exclude the water at that off to a proper distance as thelower section is sinking,

and the weights 8 8 keep the flap extended till the ordinaryballast or:sand-bag packing is let down upon it from above. The ropesV 9 9 are thenbrought home, and hitched to appropriate pins, 23, in theheads of thesupports, or elsewhere.

rlhe ilap 7, attached to the removable side, fig. 3, it will be seen,laps over that connected with the main dam, thus compensatingfor theunavoidable break at two of the angles.

lVhen the dam is in the position seen in 1, it is as plain as itisinevitable that there will be some horizontal space between the upperand lower sections. The packing 16 is provided to close this space, and

' the weight of the external water is the power relied upon to press thetubing into water-tight contact with the two sections along itsentirerlength.

In liv. 1, the cheeks 22, by which the doors are re tained in positiontill the outside pressure begins to operate, are secu to pass undertheir straps till they enter the straps c c on the main dani, fig. 3.

The parts 21, tiff. 3, are flat guides, for the supports 17, screwed onto the upper face of the upper section, as shown. i

Such is the construction of the dam, in its threesided form, the door orremovable side being a single flat, and liable to a different behaviorin the water, and being, moreover, differently fitted up, requires aseparate description.

The upper and lower removable sides are seen n1 lig. 2, the latter,marked A, having its inner plate removed, in order to expose itspeculiar system of compartments, cocks, and tubing, the method oflilling and exhausting the compartments, the means ot' placing the doorsin working-position, and ot removing the same when desirable.l lhe viewof these doors is from the red line y y, tig. 3.

33, 50, and 51, are metallic partitions or timber bulkheads, to dividethe space into four compartments, two only oi' which, those ou theright-hand side, are shown complete. A,

Each of' these divisions is provided with a valve or cock, 37, 42, 43,and 44, operated by rods 38, 39, 48, and 49,

These valves connect with the air-pump, through the pipes 45, 46, 25,and 26, the latter being the mouth ot the pipe in the upp'er section,corresponding with `25 in the lower section.

41 is a valve, provided with its rod 40, and 35 is an elbowed tube,reaching nearly to the bottom ot' the compartment, and containing avalve, 34, in its horizontal length, operated by the rod 36, inthemanner before described. l

27 and 29 are rings or eyes, as seen in figs. 2 and 3, p

rlhe ro )e 2S fastened to the rin" 29 is seen drawn through 2T, andhitched on to the pin 23, as shown in iig. 2.

The opening marked 52, iu the lower left-hand square ot'A, is for thepurpose of. letting in the water around the pier, when the workiscompleted. This opening is placed at sonic distance from the bottoniot' the section, so as to keep the aperture above thc mud, sand, orweeds. .lhe valve in this opening is connected with its rod 47, andoperated as before described. t

Having thus described the construction and parts of this dam, I will nowproceed to explain the manner of placing it in position, and itsoperation.

rlhe sections having been prepared as above, the upper section, minust-he supports 17, is inserted in the lower, and the door oi" thc latterdrawn into its place by the ropes 31, running through eyes 30. similarto 27 and 29 in the upper section, and fastened by the checks 22, and,it' necessary, by a similar locking below.

The dam, with its sections thus put together, is then towed to the placewhere the building is to be done, and the exact line of submersion beingascertained, the structure is iixed in the proper position by lines fromthe shore, anchors, or otherwise.

The valves in both sections are then opened, with the exception of 52,when each lower valve admits the water into its own compartment, the airescaping through the upper valves at 14*, 24, and 26.

When both sections have received sufficient water to submerge them tothe depth of the upper section, as seen in tig. 2, the valves in thatsection are closed, while those in the lower section are left open tillits upper edge is level with the surface ot' the water, when its valvesarev likewise closed, and the further sinking, for the time, stopped.

The supports 17 are then placed in position, and left so that they willslidel freely in the staples over the plate 19.

lVhen this has been done, and the packing 16 carefully and accuratelyplaced, the valves of the lower section are again opened, and it isallowed to sink till it lies-on the bottom of the water.

yWhile this section is` sinking, the ropes 9 9 are taken to a distance,so asto keep the Hap-packing 7 extended, and to deposit the weights 8 8at `as great a distance i'rem the dam asy the width oi' the packing willallow.

The ropes'are then brought home,"and made fast to their appropriatepins, and the ballast-packing, for the lower edge of the lower section,is let down and placed in the usual way.

When this has lbeen done, the supports are brought home, with theirproper recess on the plate 19.

If the sinkage of the lower section has been such as to require theraising or lowering ofthe upper section, in order to bring a recessopposite the plate, that isetfected by the admission of a little morewater,as. before, or -by the injection of a proper amount of air to givethe requisite additional buoyancy. The nuts 20 are then screwed home,and the -dam is ready for pumping out.

The pumping is then commenced, and continued till the dam is empty, whenthe operations preliminary to building are begun.

` When the pier or other structure has reached above the high-waterline, the valve 52 is opened, and the water rushes in from the outsidetill the space between the pier and the dam is filled.

The supports are then removed, the ballast cleared from the tlap, andthe air-pump connected with 14* and 25. A

The valves of the lower section heilig. all open, and the air-pump setto work, the water is forced out of the section at 34v and 41, lig. 2,and at 10, 10, 10, fig. 1, till its-upper line emerges from the water,when its valves a-re all reclosed, and the like treatment applied to theupper section, till all the water it contained has been forced out, whenit will float with its original draught. A

The remaining water in the lower section is then expelled, and the wholedam is in the condition in which 4it was iioated to its work.

The next operation is the detachment of the doors, (on the landwardside,) which is effected by, simply withdrawing the chocks 22, andeasing thc ropes 28 and 31, when the door will `float away by its ownbuoyancy.

1t is desirable that the door, thus leaving the dam, should retain anedgewise or vertical position in the water, both for the purposes ofplacing` it in workingposition, and for its removal and after-handling;otherwise a large amount of power would be required to raise andmanipulate so large a slab in the water.'

It is with reference to this necessity' that the pecu-- liar system ofcompartments, tubing, 85e., of thisl side, has been adopted.

Thus, by filling or partly iilllng the lower compartments, A andB, iig.2, a weight is given to the bottom, which maintains them in just thedesired position for attachment or removal.

saam 3 When the doors have been thus floated off, the main dani is drawnaway, either into a position ,for building another length to said pier,or to any other spot where it maybe designed to use it.

In the case of building additional lengths to the same pier, or a longdock or bulkhead, the doors may be used to close the spaces between theopen ends of the main dani and the finished masonry, with two additionaland appropriate slabs, where the work is in suoli a depth of water asto'require the use of both sections.

The joints of these attachments would be packed by the means alreadydescribed, or in any other appropriate manner.

Vhen this apparatus is used for raising sunken vessomewhat modified.

For instance, the doors will be dispensed with, and two three-sideddams'let down, one at each'end of the vessel. These willbe connected byextension-flats or sections, compartmented, tubed, and-operatedsimilarly to said doors, and of sutiicient length to enclose the'vesselwhen the sections are sunk around the wreck, andthe water driven out, asalready described.

The buoyancyl of the exhausted sectionsthe wreck having been rinlyconnected with the dam-raises the vessel, so that she can be towed,along with the dam, into port; or, in the case oi' a vessel being sunkin shallow water, and iilled with drift, as before supposed, the daniwould then be used, as in the case of building a p erpas alreadydescribed, in order to get -at the wreck, and by clearing it of itscontents, to put it in a condition in which it might be raised.

Having thus'described' my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentt 1. The portableand extensible coiier-dain, coustructed of double walls, laid ofi' intothe water-tight and air-tight compartments, furnished with the tubes andvalves, and brace and timbered as shown, all constructed and arranged asspeciiied, and for the objects set forth.

2. The adjustable supports 17, for supporting the upper sections of theportable and extensible cotl'erdam, said sections heilig adapted toslide one within the other, as herein described, for the purposespeciiied.

3. rlhe removable side, with its special compartments, tubes, andvalves, with the objects and for the purposes explained.

4. rlhe dam, constructed and arranged, in its several parts, as hereinshown and described, for the purpose specified.

The above specification ot' my invention signed by me, this 25th day ofNovember, 1868.

SAMUEL LEWIS.

Witnesses FRANK BLocKLnY, E. GREENE COLLINS.

sels or other bodies, its form and application will 'be i

